There are things in this world that I will never understand, no matter how many times they’re explained to me. Excuse me while I climb up onto this soapbox to explain them.
Why some people blame governments for responding to the advice of virus experts instead of putting their hate on the virus itself.
The belief that being born in this country makes one better than anyone else including an immigrant. It makes us luckier. Not better.
And why anyone would ride in a vehicle without first fastening their seat belt.
In my role as morning newscaster (MY-FM St. Thomas, Giant FM & New Country Tillsonburg) I read a lot of police reports. Over the long civic holiday weekend, OPP wrote almost 200 tickets for seatbelt violations. Not wearing a seatbelt came second only to speeding offences that weekend. It makes no sense to me.
I can’t begin to tell you how many times a police report will include that the driver wasn’t belted in during a collision. They’re “thrown clear” and killed. This refusal to wear a seatbelt spans all ages. It’s not a difficult thing to do. For goodness sake, they teach us how, every time we fly. And it’s not as if the data isn’t clear. Seatbelts save lives.
It’s Just Physics
If your vehicle is traveling at 60 km/hr, you are traveling at 60 km/hr. A collision causes the car to stop abruptly but if you’re not belted, you continue moving forward. Seatbelts are designed to stretch a bit as they help stop the body’s propulsion. They go across the pelvis and rib cage, which can take more force than soft tissue can. The belt is wide to spread the impact over a broader surface area. It’s all meant to keep your melon from smashing on or through the windshield.
There is no good reason to avoid wearing a seatbelt:
It’s uncomfortable. Then buy an extender or a cushioned pad. They’re available everywhere.
I’m only going a few blocks. Most serious accidents happen close to home and at lower than highway speeds.
I want freedom to get out if the car catches fire. Car fires account for a small fraction of collisions. And if you’re unconscious because you hit your head, how are you going to get out, smarty pants?
I’m a safe driver. Well goodie for you. Is everyone else on the road a safe driver? Unforseen things happen. Do these people really think that everyone else who’s been in a collision could have avoided it if they were a better driver? That’s why they’re called accidents. Stuff happens that you can’t control.
My car has airbags. Airbags alone are not enough. In fact, without the restraint of a belt, an airbag could seriously injure you.
One Possible, Potential, Perhaps Exception
Maybe, MAYBE a delivery driver going at a low speed through a neighbourhood and stopping and starting often can get away without a belt. But that’s about it. And they’d need to buckle up once they’re commuting to the next neighbourhood. Some jurisdictions used to allow exemptions for certain, specific medical conditions but even those are now denied in many places. The risk of not wearing the seatbelt is greater than the harm of wearing one.
Seatbelts dramatically reduce the risk of being killed or seriously hurt in a collision. It’s just a fact. No parent (no GOOD parent) would dream of driving without their child secured in the proper seat. Why do they risk themselves? It will continue to baffle and confuse me even as I read about yet another road fatality that absolutely didn’t have to happen.